​During keynotes and speeches in Reno there was no official mention about rumored cuts to the NEA, NEH, and PBS. "Wait" said some away, claiming it is the same old story given traction by a report by The Hill. At the National Arts Roundtable discussion the topic came up. There was talk about the elephant in the room. Of course you know that elephants is a GOP always eyeing arts funding as an easy cut. The spirit of Jesse Helms lives on.

Then roundtable speaker Robert Lynch, president/CEO of Americans for the Arts, showed attendees an ad that had a few media buys. One was next to Page 6 of the Daily News which is a favorite go-to page for the president, said Lynch. Another strategic placement was a Palm Beach newspaper that circulates at Mar-a-Lago.

It's a strategy that will need more oomph after today's story from the Washington Post. The headline reads "Trump wants to cut the NEA and NEH. This is the worst-case scenario for arts groups." From WaPo.​

For decades, arts and cultural leaders have fought regular battles to maintain federal funding, and they now find themselves part of a larger, unprecedented attempt to dismantle the federal government’s role in American life. As they struggle to explain why they deserve federal dollars, other federal departments and agencies are fighting for their share, which in turn could put increased strain on philanthropic funding for a large range of social services, including health care and education.​The president’s budget would eliminate the NEA’s $148 million budget, the NEH’s $148 million budget and the CPB’s $445 million budget, as well as $230 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which supports libraries and museums across the country. Additional cuts could affect the Smithsonian Institution and the National Gallery of Art.

Not all cultural sectors would be equally hard hit, at least not initially. But all of them would be forced to rethink how to survive, and what they would be able to preserve of their fundamental mission.​

The above graphic can be downloaded at Americans for the Arts. I hope many shared on social media. Also at the site is a petition "Sign the National Petition to President Trump to Support the Arts in America" ready to be signed. There is also campaign directive is clear with their "Statement on Arts, Jobs, and the Economy." Any threat of budget cuts to the arts isn't just a loss of culture. It's a job killer. And for the next few years, everyday will be Arts Advocacy Day.

We are greatly saddened to learn of this proposal for elimination, as NEH has made significant contributions to the public good over its 50-year history. But as an agency of the executive branch, we answer to the President and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Therefore, we must abide by this budget request as this initial stage of the federal budget process gets under way. It will be up to Congress over the next several months to determine funding levels for fiscal year 2018. We will work closely with OMB in the coming months as the budget process continues. The agency is continuing its normal operations at this time.